Magnetic tape device and magnetic reproducing method

ABSTRACT

The magnetic tape device includes a magnetic tape including a magnetic layer; and a TMR head (reproducing head), in which an intensity ratio of a peak intensity of a diffraction peak of a (110) plane with respect to a peak intensity of a diffraction peak of a (114) plane of a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure obtained by an X-ray diffraction analysis of the magnetic layer by using an In-Plane method is 0.5 to 4.0, a vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.65 to 1.00, Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, and a C—H derived C concentration calculated from a C—H peak area ratio of C1s spectra obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis performed on the surface of the magnetic layer at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees is 45 to 65 atom %.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-065700 filed on Mar. 29, 2017. The above application is hereby expressly incorporated by reference, in its entirety, into the present application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a magnetic tape device and a magnetic reproducing method.

2. Description of the Related Art

Magnetic recording is used as a method of recording information on a recording medium. In the magnetic recording, information is recorded on a magnetic recording medium as a magnetized pattern. Information recorded on a magnetic recording medium is reproduced by reading a magnetic signal obtained from the magnetized pattern by a magnetic head. As a magnetic head used for such reproducing, various magnetic heads have been proposed (for example, see JP2004-185676A).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An increase in recording capacity (high capacity) of a magnetic recording medium is required in accordance with a great increase in information content in recent years. As means for realizing high capacity, a technology of increasing a recording density of a magnetic recording medium is used. However, as the recording density increases, a magnetic signal (specifically, a leakage magnetic field) obtained from a magnetic layer tends to become weak. Accordingly, it is desired that a high-sensitivity magnetic head capable of reading a weak signal with excellent sensitivity is used as a reproducing head. Regarding the sensitivity of the magnetic head, it is said that a magnetoresistive (MR) head using a magnetoresistance effect as an operating principle has excellent sensitivity, compared to an inductive head used in the related art.

As the MR head, an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) head and a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head are known as disclosed in a paragraph 0003 of JP2004-185676A. The GMR head is an MR head having excellent sensitivity than that of the AMR head. In addition, a tunnel magnetoresistive (TMR) head disclosed in a paragraph 0004 and the like of JP2004-185676A is an MR head having a high possibility of realizing higher sensitivity.

Meanwhile, a recording and reproducing system of the magnetic recording is broadly divided into a levitation type and a sliding type. A magnetic recording medium in which information is recorded by the magnetic recording is broadly divided into a magnetic disk and a magnetic tape. Hereinafter, a drive including a magnetic disk as a magnetic recording medium is referred to as a “magnetic disk device” and a drive including a magnetic tape as a magnetic recording medium is referred to as a “magnetic tape device”.

The magnetic disk device is generally called a hard disk drive (HDD) and a levitation type recording and reproducing system is used. In the magnetic disk device, a shape of a surface of a magnetic head slider facing a magnetic disk and a head suspension assembly that supports the magnetic head slider are designed so that a predetermined interval between a magnetic disk and a magnetic head can be maintained with air flow at the time of rotation of the magnetic disk. In such a magnetic disk device, information is recorded and reproduced in a state where the magnetic disk and the magnetic head do not come into contact with each other. The recording and reproducing system described above is the levitation type. On the other hand, a sliding type recording and reproducing system is used in the magnetic tape device. In the magnetic tape device, a surface of a magnetic layer of a magnetic tape and a magnetic head come into contact with each other and slide on each other, at the time of the recording and reproducing information.

JP2004-185676A proposes usage of the TMR head in the magnetic disk device. On the other hand, the usage of the TMR head in the magnetic tape device is still currently in a stage where the further use thereof is expected. The reason why the usage thereof is not yet practically realized is because it is not necessary that a reproducing head used in the magnetic tape device have sensitivity improved enough for using the TMR head. Nevertheless, in a case where the TMR head can be used as the reproducing head even in the magnetic tape device, it is possible to deal with higher-density recording of a magnetic tape in the future.

In the magnetic tape device, it is also desired that information recorded on the magnetic tape is reproduced at a high signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR). However, as recording density increases, the SNR tends to decrease.

Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a magnetic tape device in which a TMR head is mounted as a reproducing head and information recorded on a magnetic tape can be reproduced at a high SNR.

As methods of increasing the SNR at the time of reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape, a method of increasing smoothness of a surface of a magnetic layer of a magnetic tape is used. The inventors have made intensive studies for realizing a higher SNR, by using other methods, in addition to the method of increasing smoothness of a surface of a magnetic layer of a magnetic tape.

Meanwhile, a magnetoresistance effect which is an operating principle of the MR head such as the TMR head is a phenomenon in which electric resistance changes depending on a change in magnetic field. The MR head detects a change in leakage magnetic field generated from a magnetic recording medium as a change in resistance value (electric resistance) and reproduces information by converting the change in resistance value into a change in voltage. It is said that a resistance value in the TMR head is generally high, as disclosed in a paragraph 0007 of JP2004-185676A, but generation of a significant decrease in resistance value in the TMR head, while continuing the reproducing of information with the TMR head, may cause a decrease in reproduction output over time with respect to an initial stage of the reproduction.

During intensive studies for achieving the object described above, the inventors have found a phenomenon which was not known in the related art, in that, in a case of using the TMR head as a reproducing head in the magnetic tape device, a significant decrease in resistance value (electric resistance) occurs in the TMR head. A decrease in resistance value in the TMR head is a decrease in electric resistance measured by bringing an electric resistance measuring device into contact with a wiring connecting two electrodes configuring a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element included in the TMR head. The phenomenon in which this resistance value significantly decreases is not observed in a case of using the TMR head in the magnetic disk device, nor in a case of using other MR heads such as the GMR head in the magnetic disk device or the magnetic tape device. That is, occurrence of a significant decrease in resistance value in the TMR head in a case of reproducing information by using the TMR head as a reproducing head was not even confirmed in the related art. A difference in the recording and reproducing system between the magnetic disk device and the magnetic tape device, specifically, contact and non-contact between a magnetic recording medium and a magnetic head at the time of the reproducing may be the reason why a significant decrease in resistance value in the TMR head occurred in the magnetic tape device is not observed in the magnetic disk device. In addition, the TMR head has a special structure in which two electrodes are provided with an insulating layer (tunnel barrier layer) interposed therebetween in a direction in which a magnetic tape is transported, which is not applied to other MR heads which are currently practically used, and it is considered that this is the reason why a significant decrease in resistance value occurring in the TMR head is not observed in other MR heads. It is clear that, a significant decrease in resistance value in the TMR head tends to more significantly occur in a magnetic tape device in which a magnetic tape having high smoothness of a surface of a magnetic layer is mounted as the magnetic tape. With respect to this, as a result of more intensive studies after finding the phenomenon described above, the inventors have newly found that such a significant decrease in resistance value can be prevented by using a magnetic tape described below as the magnetic tape.

One aspect of the invention has been completed based on the finding described above.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a magnetic tape device comprising: a magnetic tape; and a reproducing head, in which the reproducing head is a magnetic head (hereinafter, also referred to as a “TMR head”) including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element (hereinafter, also referred to as a “TMR element”) as a reproducing element, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support, the ferromagnetic powder is ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, an intensity ratio (Int(110)/Int(114); hereinafter, also referred to as “X-ray diffraction (XRD) intensity ratio) of a peak intensity Int(110) of a diffraction peak of a (110) plane with respect to a peak intensity Int(114) of a diffraction peak of a (114) plane of a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure obtained by an X-ray diffraction analysis of the magnetic layer by using an In-Plane method is 0.5 to 4.0, a vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.65 to 1.00, a center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer (hereinafter, also referred to as a “magnetic layer surface roughness Ra”) is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, the magnetic layer includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide, and a C—H derived C concentration calculated from a C—H peak area ratio of C1s spectra obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis performed on the surface of the magnetic layer at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a “C—H derived C concentration”) is 45 to 65 atom %.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a magnetic reproducing method comprising: reproducing information recorded on a magnetic tape by a reproducing head, in which the reproducing head is a magnetic head including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element as a reproducing element, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support, the ferromagnetic powder is ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, an intensity ratio (Int(110)/Int(114)) of a peak intensity Int(110) of a diffraction peak of a (110) plane with respect to a peak intensity Int(114) of a diffraction peak of a (114) plane of a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure obtained by an X-ray diffraction analysis of the magnetic layer by using an In-Plane method is 0.5 to 4.0, a vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.65 to 1.00, a center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, the magnetic layer includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide, and a C—H derived C concentration calculated from a C—H peak area ratio of C1s spectra obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis performed on the surface of the magnetic layer at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees is 45 to 65 atom %.

One aspect of the magnetic tape device and the magnetic reproducing method is as follows.

In one aspect, the center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer is 1.2 nm to 2.0 nm.

In one aspect, the vertical direction squareness ratio is 0.65 to 0.90.

In one aspect, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic layer including non-magnetic powder and a binding agent between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer.

According to one aspect of the invention, in a case of reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape with the TMR head, it is possible to perform the reproduction at a high SNR and prevent occurrence of a significant decrease in resistance value in the TMR head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows an example (step schematic view) of a specific aspect of a magnetic tape manufacturing step.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Magnetic Tape Device

One aspect of the invention relates to a magnetic tape device including: a magnetic tape; and a reproducing head, in which the reproducing head is a magnetic head including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element as a reproducing element, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support, the ferromagnetic powder is ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, an intensity ratio (Int(110)/Int(114)) of a peak intensity Int(110) of a diffraction peak of a (110) plane with respect to a peak intensity Int(114) of a diffraction peak of a (114) plane of a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure obtained by an X-ray diffraction analysis of the magnetic layer by using an In-Plane method is 0.5 to 4.0, a vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.65 to 1.00, a center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, the magnetic layer includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide, and a C—H derived C concentration calculated from a C—H peak area ratio of C1s spectra obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis performed on the surface of the magnetic layer at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees is 45 to 65 atom %.

In the invention and the specification, the “surface of the magnetic layer” is identical to a surface of a magnetic recording medium on the magnetic layer side. In the invention and the specification, the “ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder” means an aggregate of a plurality of ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite particles. The ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite particles are ferromagnetic particles having a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure. Hereinafter, particles (ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite particles) configuring the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder are also referred to as “hexagonal ferrite particles” or simply “particles”. The “aggregate” not only includes an aspect in which particles configuring the aggregate directly come into contact with each other, but also includes an aspect in which a binding agent, an additive, or the like is interposed between the particles. The points described above are also applied to various powders such as non-magnetic powder of the invention and the specification, in the same manner.

In the invention and the specification, the description regarding directions and angles (for example, vertical, orthogonal, parallel, and the like) includes a range of errors allowed in the technical field of the invention, unless otherwise noted. For example, the range of errors means a range of less than ±10° from an exact angle, and is preferably within ±5° and more preferably within ±3°.

The inventors have thought that the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra, the vertical direction squareness ratio, and the XRD intensity ratio set to be in the ranges described above contributes to the reproducing of information recorded on the magnetic tape in the magnetic tape device at a high SNR, and the C—H derived C concentration set to be in the range described above contributes to the prevention of a significant decrease in resistance value in the TMR head.

The magnetic layer surface roughness Ra equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm can contribute to a decrease in spacing loss causing a decrease in SNR. In addition, the vertical direction squareness ratio of 0.65 to 1.00 and the XRD intensity ratio of 0.5 to 4.0 can also contribute to improvement of the SNR. This point will be further described hereinafter.

The inventors have surmised that particles affecting magnetic properties of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder (aggregate of particles) (hereinafter, also referred to as “former particles”) and particles which are considered not to affect or slightly affects the magnetic properties thereof (hereinafter, also referred to as “latter particles”) are included in the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder included in the magnetic layer. It is considered that the latter particles are, for example, fine particles generated due to partial chipping of particles due to a dispersion process performed at the time of preparing a magnetic layer forming composition.

The inventors have thought that, in the particles included in the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder included in the magnetic layer, the former particles are particles causing the diffraction peak in the X-ray diffraction analysis using the In-Plane method, and since the latter particles are fine, the latter particles do not or hardly affect the diffraction peak. Accordingly, it is surmised that it is possible to control a state of the particles affecting the magnetic properties of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder present in the magnetic layer, based on the intensity of the diffraction peak caused by the X-ray diffraction analysis of the magnetic layer using the In-Plane method. The inventors have thought that the XRD intensity ratio which will be described later specifically is an index regarding this point.

Meanwhile, the vertical direction squareness ratio is a ratio of residual magnetization with respect to saturated magnetization measured in a direction vertical to the surface of the magnetic layer and this value decreases, as a value of the residual magnetization decreases. It is surmised that, since the latter particles are fine and hardly hold magnetization, as a large amount of the latter particles is included in the magnetic layer, the vertical direction squareness ratio tends to decrease. Accordingly, the inventors have thought that the vertical direction squareness ratio may be an index for the amount of the latter particles (fine particles) present in the magnetic layer. It is thought that, as the amount of such fine particles present in the magnetic layer decreases, the magnetic properties of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder are improved.

It is surmised that, in the magnetic tape included in the magnetic tape device, the vertical direction squareness ratio and the XRD intensity ratio respectively in the ranges described above contribute to the reproducing of information recorded on the magnetic tape at a high SNR, and as a result, even information recorded at high density can be reproduced at a high SNR. The inventors have surmised that the reproduction at a high SNR can be realized by decreasing the amount of the latter particles (fine particles) present in the magnetic layer and controlling a state of the former particles present in the magnetic layer.

The above description is a surmise of the inventors regarding the reproduction of information recorded on the magnetic tape at a high SNR, in the magnetic tape device. The inventors have thought regarding the usage of the TMR head by preventing the occurrence of a significant decrease in resistance value, in the magnetic tape.

In the magnetic tape device, in a case of using a magnetic tape of the related art, in a case of using a TMR head as a reproducing head, a phenomenon in which a resistance value (electric resistance) significantly decreases in the TMR head occurs. This phenomenon is a phenomenon that has been newly found by the inventors. The inventors have considered the reason for the occurrence of such a phenomenon is as follows.

The TMR head is a magnetic head using a tunnel magnetoresistance effect and includes two electrodes with an insulating layer (tunnel barrier layer) interposed therebetween. The tunnel barrier layer positioned between the two electrodes is an insulating layer, and thus, even in a case where a voltage is applied between the two electrodes, in general, a current does not flow or does not substantially flow between the electrodes. However, a current (tunnel current) flows by a tunnel effect depending on a direction of a magnetic field of a free layer affected by a leakage magnetic field from the magnetic tape, and a change in amount of a tunnel current flow is detected as a change in resistance value by the tunnel magnetoresistance effect. By converting the change in resistance value into a change in voltage, information recorded on the magnetic tape can be reproduced.

Examples of a structure of the MR head include a current-in-plane (CIP) structure and a current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) structure, and the TMR head is a magnetic head having a CPP structure. In the MR head having a CPP structure, a current flows in a direction perpendicular to a film surface of an MR element, that is, a direction in which the magnetic tape is transported, in a case of reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape. With respect to this, other MR heads, for example, a spin valve type GMR head which is widely used in recent years among the GMR heads has a CIP structure. In the MR head having a CIP structure, a current flows in a direction in a film plane of an MR element, that is, a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the magnetic tape is transported, in a case of reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape.

As described above, the TMR head has a special structure which is not applied to other MR heads which are currently practically used. Accordingly, in a case where short circuit (bypass due to damage) occurs even at one portion between the two electrodes, the resistance value significantly decreases. A significant decrease in resistance value in a case of the short circuit occurring even at one portion between the two electrodes as described above is a phenomenon which does not occur in other MR heads. In the magnetic disk device using a levitation type recording and reproducing system, a magnetic disk and a reproducing head do not come into contact with each other at the time of reproducing, and thus, damage causing short circuit hardly occurs. On the other hand, in the magnetic tape device using a sliding type recording and reproducing system, in a case where any measures are not prepared, the TMR head is damaged due to the sliding between the TMR head and the magnetic tape, and thus, short circuit easily occurs. The inventors have assumed that this is the reason why a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head occurs particularly significantly at the time of reproducing, in a case of using the TMR head as a reproducing head in the magnetic tape device. In addition, it is thought that, in a case where the smoothness of the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape increases, a contact area (so-called real contact area) between the surface of the magnetic layer and the reproducing head increases. It is thought that the reproducing head which is more easily damaged at the time of sliding on the magnetic tape due to an increase in contact area, is a reason of a decrease in resistance value in the TMR head which tends to be significant, in the magnetic tape device in which the magnetic tape having high smoothness of the surface of the magnetic layer is mounted.

With respect to this, as a result of intensive studies of the inventors, the inventors have newly found that it is possible to prevent a phenomenon in which a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head occurs significantly at the time of reproducing, in a case of using the TMR head as a reproducing head in the magnetic tape device, by using the magnetic tape in which the magnetic layer includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide, and the C—H derived C concentration calculated from a C—H peak area ratio of C1s spectra obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis performed on the surface of the magnetic layer at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees is 45 to 65 atom %. This point will be further described below.

The “X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis” is an analysis method also generally called Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA) or X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Hereinafter, the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis is also referred to as ESCA. The ESCA is an analysis method using a phenomenon of photoelectron emission in a case where a surface of a measurement target sample is irradiated with X ray, and is widely used as an analysis method regarding a surface part of a measurement target sample. According to the ESCA, it is possible to perform qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis by using X-ray photoemission spectra acquired by the analysis regarding the sample surface of the measurement target. A depth from the sample surface to the analysis position (hereinafter, also referred to as a “detection depth”) and photoelectron take-off angle generally satisfy the following expression: detection depth mean free path of electrons×3×sin θ. In the expression, the detection depth is a depth where 95% of photoelectrons configuring X-ray photoemission spectra are generated, and θ is the photoelectron take-off angle. From the expression described above, it is found that, as the photoelectron take-off angle decreases, the analysis regarding a shallow part of the depth from the sample surface can be performed, and as the photoelectron take-off angle increases, the analysis regarding a deep part of the depth from the sample surface can be performed. In the analysis performed by the ESCA at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees, an extreme outermost surface part having a depth of approximately several nm from the sample surface generally becomes an analysis position. Accordingly, in the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape, according to the analysis performed by the ESCA at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees, it is possible to perform composition analysis regarding the extreme outermost surface part having a depth of approximately several nm from the surface of the magnetic layer.

The C—H derived C concentration is a percentage of carbon atoms C configuring the C—H bond occupying total (based on atom) 100 atom % of all elements detected by the qualitative analysis performed by the ESCA. The magnetic tape includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide at least in the magnetic layer. Fatty acid and fatty acid amide are components which can function as lubricants in the magnetic tape. The inventors have considered that, in the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape including one or more of these components at least in the magnetic layer, the C—H derived C concentration obtained by the analysis performed by the ESCA at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees becomes an index for the presence amount of the components (one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide) in the extreme outermost surface part of the magnetic layer. Specific description is as follows.

In X-ray photoemission spectra (horizontal axis: bonding energy, vertical axis: strength) obtained by the analysis performed by the ESCA, the C1s spectra include information regarding an energy peak of a 1 s orbit of the carbon atoms C. In such C1s spectra, a peak positioned at the vicinity of the bonding energy 284.6 eV is a C—H peak. This C—H peak is a peak derived from the bonding energy of the C—H bond of the organic compound. The inventors have surmised that, in the extreme outermost surface part of the magnetic layer including one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide, main constituent components of the C—H peak are components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide. Accordingly, the inventors have considered that the C—H derived C concentration can be used as an index for the presence amount as described above.

The inventors have surmised that, a state where the C—H derived C concentration is equal to or greater than 45 atom %, that is, a state where a large amount of one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide is present in the extreme outermost surface part of the magnetic layer contributes to smooth sliding between the magnetic tape and the TMR head, thereby preventing occurrence of short circuit due to damage on the TMR head due to the sliding on the magnetic tape having the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra of 2.0 nm and excellent smoothness of the surface of the magnetic layer. In a case where the magnetic tape and the TMR head extremely smoothly slide on each other, slipping occurs and damage on the TMR head may occur. With respect to this, the inventors have surmised that, in a case where the C—H derived C concentration is equal to or smaller than 65 atom %, it is possible to prevent occurrence of slipping, and thus, it is possible to prevent occurrence of short circuit due to damage on the TMR head.

However, the above descriptions are merely a surmise of the inventors and the invention is not limited thereto.

Regarding the C—H derived C concentration, JP2016-126817A discloses that the C—H derived C concentration is set to be in a specific range, in order to prevent a decrease in electromagnetic conversion characteristics of a thinned magnetic tape during repeated running under both humidity environments of a low humidity environment and a high humidity environment. However, as described above, the usage of the TMR head as a reproducing head in the magnetic tape device is still currently in a stage where the further use thereof is expected. In addition, the generation of a significant decrease in resistance value of the TMR head in the magnetic tape device in which the TMR head is mounted as a reproducing head, and a tendency of a significant decrease in resistance value the TMR head in the magnetic tape device in which the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra is 2.0 nm and the magnetic tape having excellent smoothness of the surface of the magnetic layer is mounted, are phenomena which were not known in the related art. With respect to such a phenomenon, the effect of the C—H derived C concentration and a possibility of prevention of the phenomenon by setting the C—H derived C concentration to be 45 to 65 atom % is not disclosed in JP2016-126817A and is newly found by the inventors as a result of intensive studies.

Hereinafter, the magnetic tape device will be described more specifically. A “decrease in resistance value of the TMR head” described below is a significant decrease in resistance value of the TMR head occurring in a case of reproducing information recorded on magnetic tape by the TMR head, in the magnetic tape device in which the TMR head is mounted as the reproducing head, otherwise not noted.

Magnetic Tape

Magnetic Layer Surface Roughness Ra

The center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape (magnetic layer surface roughness Ra) is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm. This point can contribute to the reproducing of the information recorded on the magnetic tape at high density and a high SNR in the magnetic tape device. From a viewpoint of further increasing the SNR, the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra is preferably equal to or smaller than 1.9 nm, more preferably equal to or smaller than 1.8 nm, even more preferably equal to or smaller than 1.7 nm, still preferably equal to or smaller than 1.6 nm, and still more preferably equal to or smaller than 1.5 nm. In addition, the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra can be, for example, equal to or greater than 1.0 nm or equal to or greater than 1.2 nm. However, from a viewpoint of increasing the SNR in a case of reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape at high density, a low magnetic layer surface roughness Ra is preferable, and thus, the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra may be lower than the lower limit exemplified above.

The center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape in the invention and the specification is a value measured with an atomic force microscope (AFM) in a region having an area of 40 μm×40 μm of the surface of the magnetic layer. As an example of the measurement conditions, the following measurement conditions can be used. The magnetic layer surface roughness Ra shown in examples which will be described later is a value obtained by the measurement under the following measurement conditions.

The measurement is performed regarding the region of 40 μm×40 μm of the area of the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape with an AFM (Nanoscope 4 manufactured by Veeco Instruments, Inc.) in a tapping mode. RTESP-300 manufactured by BRUKER is used as a probe, a scan speed (probe movement speed) is set as 40 μm/sec, and a resolution is set as 512 pixel×512 pixel.

The magnetic layer surface roughness Ra can be controlled by a well-known method. For example, the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra can be changed in accordance with the size of various powders included in the magnetic layer or manufacturing conditions of the magnetic tape. Thus, by adjusting one or more of these, it is possible to obtain the magnetic tape having the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm.

C—H Derived C Concentration

The C—H derived C concentration of the magnetic tape is equal to or greater than 45 atom %, from a viewpoint of preventing a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head. The C—H derived C concentration is preferably equal to or greater than 48 atom % and more preferably equal to or greater than 50 atom %, from a viewpoint of further preventing a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head. The C—H derived C concentration of the magnetic tape is equal to or smaller than 65 atom %, from a viewpoint of preventing a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head. The C—H derived C concentration can also be, for example, equal to or smaller than 63 atom % or equal to or smaller than 60 atom %.

As described above, the C—H derived C concentration is a value obtained by analysis using ESCA. A region for the analysis is a region having an area of 300 μm×700 μm at an arbitrary position of the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape. The qualitative analysis is performed by wide scan measurement (pass energy: 160 eV, scan range: 0 to 1,200 eV, energy resolution: 1 eV/step) performed by ESCA. Then, spectra of entirety of elements detected by the qualitative analysis are obtained by narrow scan measurement (pass energy: 80 eV, energy resolution: 0.1 eV, scan range: set for each element so that the entirety of spectra to be measured is included). An atomic concentration (unit: atom %) of each element is calculated from the peak surface area of each spectrum obtained as described above. Here, an atomic concentration (C concentration) of carbon atoms is also calculated from the peak surface area of C1s spectra.

In addition, C1s spectra are obtained (pass energy: 10 eV, scan range: 276 to 296 eV, energy resolution: 0.1 eV/step). The obtained C1s spectra are subjected to a fitting process by a nonlinear least-squares method using a Gauss-Lorentz complex function (Gaussian component: 70%, Lorentz component: 30%), peak resolution of a peak of a C—H bond of the C1s spectra is performed, and a percentage (peak area ratio) of the separated C—H peak occupying the C1s spectra is calculated. A C—H derived C concentration is calculated by multiplying the calculated C—H peak area ratio by the C concentration.

An arithmetical mean of values obtained by performing the above-mentioned process at different positions of the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape three times is set as the C—H derived C concentration. In addition, the specific aspect of the process described above is shown in examples which will be described later.

As preferred means for adjusting the C—H derived C concentration described above a cooling step can be performed in a non-magnetic layer forming step which will be described later specifically. However, the magnetic tape is not limited to a magnetic tape manufactured through such a cooling step.

Fatty Acid and Fatty Acid Amide

The magnetic tape includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide at least in the magnetic layer. The magnetic layer may include only one or both of fatty acid and fatty acid amide. The inventors have considered that the presence of a large amount of the components in the extreme outermost surface part of the magnetic layer so that the C—H derived C concentration becomes 45 to 65 atom % contributes to prevention of a decrease in resistance value of the TMR head. In addition, in the magnetic tape including a non-magnetic layer which will be described later specifically between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer, one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide may be included in the non-magnetic layer. The non-magnetic layer can play a role of holding a lubricant such as fatty acid or fatty acid amide and supply the lubricant to the magnetic layer. The lubricant such as fatty acid or fatty acid amide included in the non-magnetic layer may be moved to the magnetic layer and present in the magnetic layer.

Examples of fatty acid include lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, behenic acid, erucic acid, and elaidic acid, and stearic acid, myristic acid, and palmitic acid are preferable, and stearic acid is more preferable. Fatty acid may be included in the magnetic layer in a state of salt such as metal salt.

As fatty acid amide, amide of various fatty acid described above is used, and specific examples thereof include lauric acid amide, myristic acid amide, palmitic acid amide, and stearic acid amide.

Regarding fatty acid and a derivative of fatty acid (amide and ester which will be described later), a part derived from fatty acid of the fatty acid derivative preferably has a structure which is the same as or similar to that of fatty acid used in combination. As an example, in a case of using fatty acid and stearic acid, it is preferable to use stearic acid amide and/or stearic acid ester.

The content of fatty acid of a magnetic layer forming composition is, for example, 0.1 to 10.0 parts by mass and is preferably 1.0 to 7.0 parts by mass, with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of ferromagnetic powder. In a case of adding two or more kinds of different fatty acids to the magnetic layer forming composition, the content thereof is the total content of two or more kinds of different fatty acids. The same applies to other components. In addition, in the invention and the specification, a given component may be used alone or used in combination of two or more kinds thereof, unless otherwise noted.

The content of fatty acid amide in the magnetic layer forming composition is, for example, 0.1 to 3.0 parts by mass and is preferably 0.1 to 1.0 part by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of ferromagnetic powder.

Meanwhile, the content of fatty acid in a non-magnetic layer forming composition is, for example, 1.0 to 10.0 parts by mass and is preferably 1.0 to 7.0 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of non-magnetic powder. In addition, the content of fatty acid amide in the non-magnetic layer forming composition is, for example, 0.1 to 3.0 parts by mass and is preferably 0.1 to 1.0 part by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of non-magnetic powder.

XRD Intensity Ratio

The magnetic tape includes ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder in the magnetic layer. The XRD intensity ratio is obtained by the X-ray diffraction analysis of the magnetic layer including the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder by using the In-Plane method. Hereinafter, the X-ray diffraction analysis performed by using the In-Plane method is also referred to as “In-Plane XRD”. The In-Plane XRD is performed by irradiating the surface of the magnetic layer with the X-ray by using a thin film X-ray diffraction device under the following conditions. A measurement direction is a longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape.

Cu ray source used (output of 45 kV, 200 mA)

Scan conditions: 0.05 degree/step, 0.1 degree/min in a range of 20 to 40 degrees

Optical system used: parallel optical system

Measurement method: 2θ_(χ) scan (X-ray incidence angle of 0.25°)

The values of the conditions are set values of the thin film X-ray diffraction device. As the thin film X-ray diffraction device, a well-known device can be used. As an example of the thin film X-ray diffraction device, Smart Lab manufactured by Rigaku Corporation. A sample to be subjected to the In-Plane XRD analysis is a tape sample cut out from the magnetic tape which is a measurement target, and the size and the shape thereof are not limited, as long as the diffraction peak which will be described later can be confirmed.

As a method of the X-ray diffraction analysis, thin film X-ray diffraction and powder X-ray diffraction are used. In the powder X-ray diffraction, the X-ray diffraction of the powder sample is measured, whereas, according to the thin film X-ray diffraction, the X-ray diffraction of a layer or the like formed on a substrate can be measured. The thin film X-ray diffraction is classified into the In-Plane method and an Out-Of-Plane method. The X-ray incidence angle at the time of the measurement is 5.00° to 90.00° in a case of the Out-Of-Plane method, and is generally 0.20° to 0.50°, in a case of the In-Plane method. In the In-Plane XRD of the invention and the specification, the X-ray incidence angle is 0.25° as described above. In the In-Plane method, the X-ray incidence angle is smaller than that in the Out-Of-Plane method, and thus, a depth of penetration of the X-ray is shallow. Accordingly, according to the X-ray diffraction analysis by using the In-Plane method (In-Plane XRD), it is possible to perform the X-ray diffraction analysis of a surface part of a measurement target sample. Regarding the tape sample, according to the In-Plane XRD, it is possible to perform the X-ray diffraction analysis of the magnetic layer. The XRD intensity ratio is an intensity ratio (Int(110)/Int(114)) of a peak intensity Int(110) of a diffraction peak of a (110) plane with respect to a peak intensity Int(114) of a diffraction peak of a (114) plane of a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure, in X-ray diffraction spectra obtained by the In-Plane XRD. The term Int is used as abbreviation of intensity. In the X-ray diffraction spectra obtained by In-Plane XRD (vertical axis: intensity, horizontal axis: diffraction angle 2θ_(χ) (degree)), the diffraction peak of the (114) plane is a peak at which the 2θ_(χ) is detected at 33 to 36 degrees, and the diffraction peak of the (110) plane is a peak at which the 2θ_(χ) is detected at 29 to 32 degrees.

Among the diffraction plane, the (114) plane having a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure is positioned close to particles (hexagonal ferrite particles) of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder in an easy-magnetization axial direction (c axis direction). In addition the (110) plane having a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure is positioned in a direction orthogonal to the easy-magnetization axial direction.

The inventors have surmised that, in the X-ray diffraction spectra obtained by the In-Plane XRD, as the intensity ratio (Int(110)/Int(114); XRD intensity ratio) of the peak intensity Int(110) of the diffraction peak of a (110) plane with respect to the peak intensity Int(114) of the diffraction peak of the (114) plane of a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure increases, a large number of the former particles present in a state where a direction orthogonal to the easy-magnetization axial direction is closer to a parallel state with respect to the surface of the magnetic layer is present in the magnetic layer, and as the XRD intensity ratio decreases, a small amount of the former particles present in such a state is present in the magnetic layer. It is thought that a state where the XRD intensity ratio is 0.5 to 4.0 means a state where the former particles are suitably aligned in the magnetic layer. The inventors have surmised that this contributes to an increase in SNR at the time of reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape with the TMR head.

The XRD intensity ratio is preferably equal to or smaller than 3.5 and more preferably equal to or smaller than 3.0, from a viewpoint of further increasing the SNR. From the same viewpoint, the XRD intensity ratio is preferably equal to or greater than 0.7 and more preferably equal to or greater than 1.0. The XRD intensity ratio can be, for example, controlled in accordance with process conditions of an orientation process performed in a manufacturing step of the magnetic tape. As the orientation process, the homeotropic alignment process is preferably performed. The homeotropic alignment process can be preferably performed by applying a magnetic field vertically to the surface of a coating layer of a magnetic layer forming composition in a wet state (undried state). As the orientation conditions are reinforced, the value of the XRD intensity ratio tends to increase. As the process conditions of the orientation process, magnetic field strength of the orientation process is used. The process conditions of the orientation process are not particularly limited. The process conditions of the orientation process may be set so as that the XRD intensity ratio of 0.5 to 4.0 can be realized. As an example, the magnetic field strength of the homeotropic alignment process can be 0.10 to 0.80 T or 0.10 to 0.60 T. As dispersibility of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder in the magnetic layer forming composition increases, the value of the XRD intensity ratio tends to increase by the homeotropic alignment process.

Vertical Direction Squareness Ratio

The vertical direction squareness ratio is a squareness ratio measured regarding a magnetic tape in a vertical direction. The “vertical direction” described regarding the squareness ratio is a direction orthogonal to the surface of the magnetic layer. That is, regarding the magnetic tape, the vertical direction is a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape. The vertical direction squareness ratio is measured by using an oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter. Specifically, the vertical direction squareness ratio of the invention and the specification is a value obtained by sweeping an external magnetic field in the magnetic tape at a measurement temperature of 23° C.±1° C. in the oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter, under conditions of a maximum external magnetic field of 1194 kA/m (15 kOe) and a scan speed of 4.8 kA/m/sec (60 Oe/sec), and is a value after diamagnetic field correction. The measurement value is obtained as a value obtained by subtracting magnetization of a sample probe of the oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter as background noise.

The vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is equal to or greater than 0.65. The inventors have surmised that the vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is an index for the presence amount of the latter particles (fine particles) described above. It is thought that, in the magnetic layer in which the vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is equal to or greater than 0.65, the presence amount of such fine particles is small. The inventors have surmised that this contributes to an increase in SNR at the time of reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape with the TMR head. From a viewpoint of further increasing the SNR, the vertical direction squareness ratio is preferably equal to or greater than 0.70, more preferably equal to or greater than 0.73, and even more preferably equal to or greater than 0.75. In addition, in principle, a maximum value of the squareness ratio is 1.00. Accordingly, the vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is equal to or smaller than 1.00. The vertical direction squareness ratio may be, for example, equal to or smaller than 0.95, equal to or smaller than 0.90, equal to or smaller than 0.87, or equal to or smaller than 0.85. However, it is thought that, a great value of the vertical direction squareness ratio is preferable, from a viewpoint of decreasing the amount of the latter fine particles in the magnetic layer and increasing the SNR. Therefore, the vertical direction squareness ratio may be greater than the value exemplified above.

The inventors have considered that, in order to set the vertical direction squareness ratio to be equal to or greater than 0.65, it is preferable to prevent occurrence of fine particles due to partial chipping of the particles in a preparation step of the magnetic layer forming composition. A specific method for preventing the occurrence of chipping will be described later.

Next, the magnetic layer and the like included in the magnetic tape will be described more specifically.

Magnetic Layer

Ferromagnetic Powder

The magnetic layer of the magnetic tape includes ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder as ferromagnetic powder. Regarding the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, a magnetoplumbite type (also referred to as an “M type”), a W type, a Y type, and a Z type are known as the crystal structure of the hexagonal ferrite. The ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder included in the magnetic layer may have any crystal structure. In addition, an iron atom and a divalent metal atom are included in the crystal structure of the hexagonal ferrite, as constituent atoms. The divalent metal atom is a metal atom which may become divalent cations as ions, and examples thereof include a barium atom, a strontium atom, an alkaline earth metal atom such as calcium atom, and a lead atom. For example, the hexagonal ferrite including a barium atom as the divalent metal atom is a barium ferrite, and the hexagonal ferrite including a strontium atom is a strontium ferrite. In addition, the hexagonal ferrite may be a mixed crystal of two or more hexagonal ferrites. As an example of the mixed crystal, a mixed crystal of the barium ferrite and the strontium ferrite can be used.

As an index for a particle size of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, an activation volume can be used. The “activation volume” is a unit of magnetization reversal. Regarding the activation volume described in the invention and the specification, magnetic field sweep rates of a coercivity Hc measurement part at time points of 3 minutes and 30 minutes are measured by using an oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter in an environment of an atmosphere temperature of 23° C.±1° C., and the activation volume is a value acquired from the following relational expression of Hc and an activation volume V. Hc=2Ku/Ms{1−[(kT/KuV)ln(At/0.693)]^(1/2)}

[In the expression, Ku: anisotropy constant, Ms: saturation magnetization, k: Boltzmann's constant, T: absolute temperature, V: activation volume, A: spin precession frequency, and t: magnetic field reversal time]

As a method for achieving high-density recording, a method of decreasing a particle size of ferromagnetic powder included in a magnetic layer and increasing a filling percentage of the ferromagnetic powder of the magnetic layer is used. From this viewpoint, the activation volume of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder is preferably equal to or smaller than 2,500 nm³, more preferably equal to or smaller than 2,300 nm³, and even more preferably equal to or smaller than 2,000 nm³. Meanwhile, from a viewpoint of stability of magnetization, the activation volume is, for example, preferably equal to or greater than 800 nm³, more preferably equal to or greater than 1,000 nm³, and even more preferably equal to or greater than 1,200 nm³. An activation volume of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder used for preparing the magnetic layer forming composition (hereinafter, also referred to as “raw material powder”) and an activation volume of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder in the magnetic layer formed by using the prepared magnetic layer forming composition may be the same as each other or different from each other.

The shape of the particle configuring the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder is specified by imaging the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder at a magnification ratio of 100,000 with a transmission electron microscope, and tracing an outline of a particle (primary particle) with a digitizer on a particle image obtained by printing the image on printing paper so that the total magnification of 500,000. The primary particle is an independent particle which is not aggregated. The imaging with a transmission electron microscope is performed by a direct method with a transmission electron microscope at an acceleration voltage of 300 kV. The transmission electron microscope observation and measurement can be, for example, performed with a transmission electron microscope H-9000 manufactured by Hitachi, Ltd. and image analysis software KS-400 manufactured by Carl Zeiss. Regarding the shape of the particle configuring the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, a “planar shape” is a shape having two plate surfaces facing each other. Meanwhile, among the shapes of the particles not having such a plate surface, a shape having distinguished long axis and short axis is an “elliptical shape”. The long axis is determined as an axis (linear line) having the longest length of the particle. In contrast, the short axis is determined as an axis having the longest length of the particle in a linear line orthogonal to the long axis. A shape not having distinguished long axis and short axis, that is, a shape in which the length of the long axis is the same as the length of the short axis is a “spherical shape”. From the shapes, a shape in which the long axis and the short axis are hardly specified, is called an undefined shape. The imaging with a transmission electron microscope for specifying the shapes of the particles is performed without performing the orientation process with respect to the imaging target powder. The shape of the raw material powder used for the preparation of the magnetic layer forming composition and the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder included in the magnetic layer may be any one of the planar shape, the elliptical shape, the spherical shape, and the undefined shape.

An average particle size of various powders disclosed in the invention and the specification is an arithmetical mean of the values obtained regarding arbitrarily extracted 500 particles by using the particle image which is captured as described above, unless otherwise noted. The average particle size shown in the examples which will be described later is a value obtained by using transmission electron microscope H-9000 manufactured by Hitachi, Ltd. as the transmission electron microscope and image analysis software KS-400 manufactured by Carl Zeiss as the image analysis software, unless otherwise noted.

For details of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0134 to 0136 of JP2011-216149A can be referred to, for example.

The content (filling percentage) of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder in the magnetic layer is preferably 50 to 90 mass % and more preferably 60 to 90 mass %. The components other than the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder in the magnetic layer are a binding agent and one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide, and one or more kinds of additives may be arbitrarily included. A high filling percentage of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder in the magnetic layer is preferable from a viewpoint of improvement recording density.

Binding Agent

The magnetic tape is a coating type magnetic tape, and the magnetic layer includes a binding agent together with the ferromagnetic powder. As the binding agent, one or more kinds of resin is used. The resin may be a homopolymer or a copolymer. As the binding agent, various resins normally used as a binding agent of the coating type magnetic recording medium can be used. For example, as the binding agent, a resin selected from a polyurethane resin, a polyester resin, a polyamide resin, a vinyl chloride resin, an acrylic resin obtained by copolymerizing styrene, acrylonitrile, or methyl methacrylate, a cellulose resin such as nitrocellulose, an epoxy resin, a phenoxy resin, and a polyvinylalkylal resin such as polyvinyl acetal or polyvinyl butyral can be used alone or a plurality of resins can be mixed with each other to be used. Among these, a polyurethane resin, an acrylic resin, a cellulose resin, and a vinyl chloride resin are preferable. These resins can be used as the binding agent even in the non-magnetic layer and/or a back coating layer which will be described later. For the binding agent described above, description disclosed in paragraphs 0028 to 0031 of JP2010-24113A can be referred to. An average molecular weight of the resin used as the binding agent can be, for example, 10,000 to 200,000 as a weight-average molecular weight. The weight-average molecular weight of the invention and the specification is a value obtained by performing polystyrene conversion of a value measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). As the measurement conditions, the following conditions can be used. The weight-average molecular weight shown in examples which will be described later is a value obtained by performing polystyrene conversion of a value measured under the following measurement conditions.

GPC device: HLC-8120 (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation)

Column: TSK gel Multipore HXL-M (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation, 7.8 mmID (inner diameter)×30.0 cm)

Eluent: Tetrahydrofuran (THF)

In addition, a curing agent can also be used together with the binding agent. As the curing agent, in one aspect, a thermosetting compound which is a compound in which a curing reaction (crosslinking reaction) proceeds due to heating can be used, and in another aspect, a photocurable compound in which a curing reaction (crosslinking reaction) proceeds due to light irradiation can be used. At least a part of the curing agent is included in the magnetic layer in a state of being reacted (crosslinked) with other components such as the binding agent, by proceeding the curing reaction in the magnetic layer forming step. The preferred curing agent is a thermosetting compound, polyisocyanate is suitable. For details of the polyisocyanate, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0124 and 0125 of JP2011-216149A can be referred to, for example. The amount of the curing agent can be, for example, 0 to 80.0 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the binding agent in the magnetic layer forming composition, and is preferably 50.0 to 80.0 parts by mass, from a viewpoint of improvement of strength of each layer such as the magnetic layer.

Other Components

The magnetic layer may include one or more kinds of additives, if necessary, together with the various components described above. As the additives, a commercially available product can be suitably selected and used according to the desired properties. Alternatively, a compound synthesized by a well-known method can be used as the additives. As the additives, the curing agent described above is used as an example. In addition, examples of the additive which can be included in the magnetic layer include a non-magnetic filler, a lubricant, a dispersing agent, a dispersing assistant, an antibacterial agent, an antistatic agent, and an antioxidant. The non-magnetic filler is identical to the non-magnetic powder. As the non-magnetic filler, a non-magnetic filler (hereinafter, referred to as a “projection formation agent”) which can function as a projection formation agent which forms projections suitably protruded from the surface of the magnetic layer, and a non-magnetic filler (hereinafter, referred to as an “abrasive”) which can function as an abrasive can be used.

Non-Magnetic Filler

As the projection formation agent which is one aspect of the non-magnetic filler, various non-magnetic powders normally used as a projection formation agent can be used. These may be inorganic substances or organic substances. In one aspect, from a viewpoint of homogenization of friction properties, particle size distribution of the projection formation agent is not polydispersion having a plurality of peaks in the distribution and is preferably monodisperse showing a single peak. From a viewpoint of availability of monodisperse particles, the projection formation agent is preferably powder of inorganic substances (inorganic powder). Examples of the inorganic powder include powder of inorganic oxide such as metal oxide, metal carbonate, metal sulfate, metal nitride, metal carbide, and metal sulfide, and powder of inorganic oxide is preferable. The projection formation agent is more preferably colloidal particles and even more preferably inorganic oxide colloidal particles. In addition, from a viewpoint of availability of monodisperse particles, the inorganic oxide configuring the inorganic oxide colloidal particles are preferably silicon dioxide (silica). The inorganic oxide colloidal particles are more preferably colloidal silica (silica colloidal particles). In the invention and the specification, the “colloidal particles” are particles which are not precipitated and dispersed to generate a colloidal dispersion, in a case where 1 g of the particles is added to 100 mL of at least one organic solvent of at least methyl ethyl ketone, cyclohexanone, toluene, or ethyl acetate, or a mixed solvent including two or more kinds of the solvent described above at an arbitrary mixing ratio. The average particle size of the colloidal particles is a value obtained by a method disclosed in a paragraph 0015 of JP2011-048878A as a measurement method of an average particle diameter. In addition, in another aspect, the projection formation agent is preferably carbon black.

An average particle size of the projection formation agent is, for example, 30 to 300 nm and is preferably 40 to 200 nm.

The abrasive which is another aspect of the non-magnetic filler is preferably non-magnetic powder having Mohs hardness exceeding 8 and more preferably non-magnetic powder having Mohs hardness equal to or greater than 9. A maximum value of Mohs hardness is 10 of diamond. Specifically, powders of alumina (Al₂O₃), silicon carbide, boron carbide (B₄C), SiO₂, TiC, chromium oxide (Cr₂O₃), cerium oxide, zirconium oxide (ZrO₂), iron oxide, diamond, and the like can be used, and among these, alumina powder such as α-alumina and silicon carbide powder are preferable. In addition, regarding the particle size of the abrasive, a specific surface area which is an index for the particle size is, for example, equal to or greater than 14 m²/g, and is preferably 16 m²/g and more preferably 18 m²/g. Further, the specific surface area of the abrasive can be, for example, equal to or smaller than 40 m²/g. The specific surface area is a value obtained by a nitrogen adsorption method (also referred to as a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) 1 point method), and is a value measured regarding primary particles. Hereinafter, the specific surface area obtained by such a method is also referred to as a BET specific surface area.

In addition, from a viewpoint that the projection formation agent and the abrasive can exhibit the functions thereof in more excellent manner, the content of the projection formation agent of the magnetic layer is preferably 1.0 to 4.0 parts by mass and more preferably 1.5 to 3.5 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the ferromagnetic powder. Meanwhile, the content of the magnetic layer is preferably 1.0 to 20.0 parts by mass, more preferably 3.0 to 15.0 parts by mass, and even more preferably 4.0 to 10.0 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of the ferromagnetic powder.

As an example of the additive which can be used in the magnetic layer including the abrasive, a dispersing agent disclosed in paragraphs 0012 to 0022 of JP2013-131285A can be used as a dispersing agent for improving dispersibility of the abrasive of the magnetic layer forming composition. It is preferable to improve dispersibility of the magnetic layer forming composition of the non-magnetic filler such as an abrasive, in order to decrease the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra.

In addition, as the dispersing agent, a well-known dispersing agent such as a carboxy group-containing compound or a nitrogen-containing compound can be used. For example, the nitrogen-containing compound may be any of a primary amine represented by NH₂R, a secondary amine represented by NHR₂, and a tertiary amine represented by NR₃. In the above description, R represents an arbitrary structure configuring the nitrogen-containing compound, and a plurality of Rs may be the same as each other or different from each other. The nitrogen-containing compound may be a compound (polymer) having a plurality of repeating structure in a molecule. The inventors have thought that a nitrogen-containing part of the nitrogen-containing compound which functions as an adsorption part to the surface of the particle of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder is a reason why the nitrogen-containing compound can function as the dispersing agent. As the carboxy group-containing compound, fatty acid such as oleic acid can be used, for example. The inventors have thought that a carboxy group which functions as an adsorption part to the surface of the particle of the ferromagnetic powder is a reason why the carboxy group-containing compound can function as the dispersing agent. It is also preferable to use the carboxy group-containing compound and the nitrogen-containing compound in combination.

Fatty Acid Ester

One or both of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer which will be described later specifically may include or may not include fatty acid ester.

All of fatty acid ester, fatty acid, and fatty acid amide are components which can function as a lubricant. The lubricant is generally broadly divided into a fluid lubricant and a boundary lubricant. Fatty acid ester is called a component which can function as a fluid lubricant, whereas fatty acid and fatty acid amide is called as a component which can function as a boundary lubricant. It is considered that the boundary lubricant is a lubricant which can be adsorbed to a surface of powder (for example, ferromagnetic powder) and form a rigid lubricant film to decrease contact friction. Meanwhile, it is considered that the fluid lubricant is a lubricant which can form a liquid film on a surface of a magnetic layer to decrease flowing of the liquid film. As described above, it is considered that the operation of fatty acid ester is different from the operation fatty acid and fatty acid amide as the lubricants. As a result of intensive studies of the inventors, by setting the C—H derived C concentration which is considered as an index for the presence amount of one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide in the extreme outermost surface part of the magnetic layer to be 45 to 65 atom %, it is possible to prevent a significant decrease in resistance value of the TMR head.

As fatty acid ester, esters of various fatty acids described above regarding fatty acid can be used. Specific examples thereof include butyl myristate, butyl palmitate, butyl stearate (butyl stearate), neopentyl glycol dioleate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan tristearate, oleyl oleate, isocetyl stearate, isotridecyl stearate, octyl stearate, isooctyl stearate, amyl stearate, and butoxyethyl stearate.

The content of fatty acid ester of the magnetic layer forming composition is, for example, 0 to 10.0 parts by mass and is preferably 1.0 to 7.0 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of ferromagnetic powder.

In addition, the content of fatty acid ester in the non-magnetic layer forming composition is, for example, 0 to 10.0 parts by mass and is preferably 1.0 to 7.0 parts by mass with respect to 100.0 parts by mass of non-magnetic powder.

Non-Magnetic Layer

Next, the non-magnetic layer will be described. The magnetic tape may include a magnetic layer directly on a non-magnetic support, or may include a non-magnetic layer including non-magnetic powder and a binding agent between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer. The non-magnetic powder used in the non-magnetic layer may be powder of inorganic substances or powder of organic substances. In addition, carbon black and the like can be used. Examples of the inorganic substances include metal, metal oxide, metal carbonate, metal sulfate, metal nitride, metal carbide, and metal sulfide. These non-magnetic powder can be purchased as a commercially available product or can be manufactured by a well-known method. For details thereof, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0146 to 0150 of JP2011-216149A can be referred to. For carbon black which can be used in the non-magnetic layer, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0040 and 0041 of JP2010-24113A can be referred to. The content (filling percentage) of the non-magnetic powder of the non-magnetic layer is preferably 50 to 90 mass % and more preferably 60 to 90 mass %.

In regards to other details of a binding agent or additives of the non-magnetic layer, the well-known technology regarding the non-magnetic layer can be applied. In addition, in regards to the type and the content of the binding agent, and the type and the content of the additive, for example, the well-known technology regarding the magnetic layer can be applied.

The non-magnetic layer of the magnetic tape also includes a substantially non-magnetic layer including a small amount of ferromagnetic powder as impurities or intentionally, together with the non-magnetic powder. Here, the substantially non-magnetic layer is a layer having a residual magnetic flux density equal to or smaller than 10 mT, a layer having coercivity equal to or smaller than 7.96 kA/m(100 Oe), or a layer having a residual magnetic flux density equal to or smaller than 10 mT and coercivity equal to or smaller than 7.96 kA/m(100 Oe). It is preferable that the non-magnetic layer does not have a residual magnetic flux density and coercivity.

Non-Magnetic Support

Next, the non-magnetic support will be described. As the non-magnetic support (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a “support”), well-known components such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polyamide, polyamide imide, aromatic polyamide subjected to biaxial stretching are used. Among these, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, and polyamide are preferable. Corona discharge, plasma treatment, easy-bonding treatment, or heating treatment may be performed with respect to these supports in advance.

Back Coating Layer

The magnetic tape can also include a back coating layer including non-magnetic powder and a binding agent on a surface side of the non-magnetic support opposite to the surface provided with the magnetic layer. The back coating layer preferably includes any one or both of carbon black and inorganic powder. In regards to the binding agent included in the back coating layer and various additives which can be arbitrarily included in the back coating layer, a well-known technology regarding the treatment of the magnetic layer and/or the non-magnetic layer can be applied.

Various Thickness

A thickness of the non-magnetic support is preferably 3.00 to 6.00 μm.

A thickness of the magnetic layer is preferably equal to or smaller than 0.15 μm and more preferably equal to or smaller than 0.10 μm, from a viewpoint of realization of high-density recording required in recent years. The thickness of the magnetic layer is even more preferably 0.01 to 0.10 μm. The magnetic layer may be at least single layer, the magnetic layer may be separated into two or more layers having different magnetic properties, and a configuration of a well-known multilayered magnetic layer can be applied. A thickness of the magnetic layer in a case where the magnetic layer is separated into two or more layers is a total thickness of the layers.

A thickness of the non-magnetic layer is, for example, 0.10 to 1.50 μm and is preferably 0.10 to 1.00 μm.

Meanwhile, the magnetic tape is normally used to be accommodated and circulated in a magnetic tape cartridge. In order to increase recording capacity for 1 reel of the magnetic tape cartridge, it is desired to increase a total length of the magnetic tape accommodated in 1 reel of the magnetic tape cartridge. In order to increase the recording capacity, it is necessary that the magnetic tape is thinned (hereinafter, referred to as “thinning”). As one method of thinning the magnetic tape, a method of decreasing a total thickness of a magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer of a magnetic tape including the non-magnetic layer and the magnetic layer on a non-magnetic support in this order is used. In a case where the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic layer, the total thickness of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer is preferably equal to or smaller than 1.80 μm, more preferably equal to or smaller than 1.50 μm, and even more preferably equal to or smaller than 1.10 μm, from a viewpoint of thinning the magnetic tape. In addition, the total thickness of the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer can be, for example, equal to or greater than 0.10 μm.

A thickness of the back coating layer is preferably equal to or smaller than 0.90 μm and even more preferably 0.10 to 0.70 μm.

The thicknesses of various layers of the magnetic tape and the non-magnetic support can be acquired by a well-known film thickness measurement method. As an example, a cross section of the magnetic tape in a thickness direction is, for example, exposed by a well-known method of ion beams or microtome, and the exposed cross section is observed with a scanning electron microscope. In the cross section observation, various thicknesses can be acquired as a thickness acquired at one position of the cross section in the thickness direction, or an arithmetical mean of thicknesses acquired at a plurality of positions of two or more positions, for example, two positions which are arbitrarily extracted. In addition, the thickness of each layer may be acquired as a designed thickness calculated according to the manufacturing conditions.

Manufacturing Method

Preparation of Each Layer Forming Composition

Each composition for forming the magnetic layer, the non-magnetic layer, or the back coating layer normally includes a solvent, together with various components described above. As the solvent, various organic solvents generally used for manufacturing a coating type magnetic recording medium can be used. Among those, from a viewpoint of solubility of the binding agent normally used in the coating type magnetic recording medium, each layer forming composition preferably includes one or more ketone solvents such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, diisobutyl ketone, cyclohexanone, isophorone, and tetrahydrofuran. The amount of the solvent of each layer forming composition is not particularly limited, and can be set to be the same as that of each layer forming composition of a typical coating type magnetic recording medium. In addition, steps of preparing each layer forming composition generally include at least a kneading step, a dispersing step, and a mixing step provided before and after these steps, if necessary. Each step may be divided into two or more stages. All of raw materials used in the invention may be added at an initial stage or in a middle stage of each step. In addition, each raw material may be separately added in two or more steps. For example, a binding agent may be separately added in a kneading step, a dispersing step, and a mixing step for adjusting viscosity after the dispersion. In a manufacturing step of the magnetic tape, a well-known manufacturing technology of the related art can be used in a part of the step or in the entire step. In the kneading step, an open kneader, a continuous kneader, a pressure kneader, or a kneader having a strong kneading force such as an extruder is preferably used. The details of the kneading processes of these kneaders are disclosed in JP1989-106338A (JP-H01-106338A) and JP1989-79274A (JP-H01-79274A). As a dispersing machine, a well-known dispersing machine can be used. Each layer forming composition may be filtered by a well-known method before performing the coating step. The filtering can be performed by using a filter, for example. As the filter used in the filtering, a filter having a hole diameter of 0.01 to 3 μm can be used, for example.

Regarding the dispersion process of the magnetic layer forming composition, it is preferable to prevent the occurrence of chipping as described above. In order to realize the prevention, it is preferable to perform the dispersion process of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder by a dispersion process having two stages, in which a coarse aggregate of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder is crushed by the dispersion process in a first stage, and the dispersion process in a second stage, in which a collision energy applied to particles of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder due to collision with the dispersion beads is smaller than that in the first dispersion process, is performed, in the step of preparing the magnetic layer forming composition. According to such a dispersion process, it is possible to improve dispersibility of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder and prevent the occurrence of chipping.

As a preferred aspect of the dispersion process having two stages, a dispersion process including a first stage of obtaining a dispersion liquid by performing the dispersion process of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, the binding agent, and the solvent under the presence of first dispersion beads, and a second stage of performing the dispersion process of the dispersion liquid obtained in the first stage under the presence of second dispersion beads having smaller bead diameter and density than those of the first dispersion beads can be used. Hereinafter, the dispersion process of the preferred aspect described above will be further described.

In order to increase the dispersibility of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, the first stage and the second stage are preferably performed as the dispersion process before mixing the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder and other powder components. For example, in a case of forming the magnetic layer including the non-magnetic filler, the first stage and the second stage are preferably performed as a dispersion process of a solution (magnetic solution) including ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, a binding agent, a solvent, and arbitrarily added additives, before mixing the non-magnetic filler.

A bead diameter of the second dispersion bead is preferably equal to or smaller than 1/100 and more preferably equal to or smaller than 1/500 of a bead diameter of the First dispersion bead. The bead diameter of the second dispersion bead can be, for example, equal to or greater than 1/10,000 of the bead diameter of the first dispersion bead. However, there is no limitation to this range. The bead diameter of the second dispersion bead is, for example, preferably 80 to 1,000 nm. Meanwhile, the bead diameter of the first dispersion bead can be, for example, 0.2 to 1.0 mm.

The bead diameter of the invention and the specification is a value measured by the same method as the measurement method of the average particle size of the powder described above.

The second stage is preferably performed under the conditions in which the amount of the second dispersion beads is equal to or greater than 10 times of the amount of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, and is more preferably performed under the conditions in which the amount of the second dispersion beads is 10 times to 30 times of the amount of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, based on mass.

Meanwhile, the amount of the dispersion beads in the first stage is preferably in the range described above.

The second dispersion beads are beads having lower density than that of the first dispersion beads. The “density” is obtained by dividing the mass (unit: g) of the dispersion beads by volume (unit: cm³). The measurement is performed by the Archimedes method. The density of the second dispersion beads is preferably equal to or lower than 3.7 g/cm³ and more preferably equal to or lower than 3.5 g/cm³. The density of the second dispersion beads may be, for example, equal to or higher than 2.0 g/cm³ or may be lower than 2.0 g/cm³. As the preferred second dispersion beads from a viewpoint of density, diamond beads, silicon carbide beads, or silicon nitride beads can be used, and as preferred second dispersion beads from a viewpoint of density and hardness, diamond beads can be used.

Meanwhile, as the first dispersion beads, dispersion beads having density exceeding 3.7 g/cm³ are preferable, dispersion beads having density equal to or higher than 3.8 g/cm³ are more preferable, and dispersion beads having density equal to or higher than 4.0 g/cm³ are even more preferable. The density of the first dispersion beads may be, for example, equal to or smaller than 7.0 g/cm³ or may exceed 7.0 g/cm³. As the first dispersion beads, zirconia beads or alumina beads are preferably used, and zirconia beads are more preferably used.

The dispersion time is not particularly limited and may be set in accordance with the kind of a dispersing machine used.

Coating Step, Cooling Step, and Heating and Drying Step

The magnetic layer can be formed by directly applying the magnetic layer forming composition onto the non-magnetic support or performing multilayer coating of the magnetic layer forming composition with the non-magnetic layer forming composition in order or at the same time. For details of the coating for forming each layer, a description disclosed in a paragraph 0066 of JP2010-231843A can be referred to.

As described above, in one aspect, the magnetic tape includes the non-magnetic layer between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer. Such a magnetic tape can be preferably manufactured by successive multilayer coating. A manufacturing step of performing the successive multilayer coating can be preferably performed as follows. The non-magnetic layer is formed through a coating step of applying a non-magnetic layer forming composition onto a non-magnetic support to form a coating layer, and a heating and drying step of drying the formed coating layer by a heating process. In addition, the magnetic layer is formed through a coating step of applying a magnetic layer forming composition onto the formed non-magnetic layer to form a coating layer, and a heating and drying step of drying the formed coating layer by a heating process.

In the non-magnetic layer forming step of the manufacturing step of performing such successive multilayer coating, it is preferable to perform a coating step by using the non-magnetic layer forming composition including one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide and to perform a cooling step of cooling the coating layer between the coating step and the heating and drying step, in order to adjust the C—H derived C concentration to be 45 to 65 atom % in the magnetic tape including at least one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide in the magnetic layer. The reason thereof is not clear, but the inventors has surmised that the reason thereof is because the components (fatty acid and/or fatty acid amide) are moved to the surface of the non-magnetic layer at the time of solvent volatilization of the heating and drying step, by cooling the coating layer of the non-magnetic layer forming composition before the heating and drying step. However, this is merely the surmise, and the invention is not limited thereto.

In the magnetic layer forming step, a coating step of applying a magnetic layer forming composition including ferromagnetic powder, a binding agent, and a solvent onto a non-magnetic layer to form a coating layer, and a heating and drying step of drying the formed coating layer by a heating process can be performed. The magnetic tape includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide in the magnetic layer. In a case where the magnetic tape includes the non-magnetic layer between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer, the magnetic layer forming composition preferably includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide, in order to manufacture such a magnetic tape. However, it is not necessary that the magnetic layer forming composition includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide. This is because that a magnetic layer including one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide can be formed, by applying the magnetic layer forming composition onto a non-magnetic layer to form the magnetic layer, after the components included in the non-magnetic layer forming composition are moved to the surface of the non-magnetic layer.

Hereinafter, a specific aspect of the manufacturing method of the magnetic tape will be described with reference to FIG. 1. However, the invention is not limited to the following specific aspect.

FIG. 1 is a step schematic view showing a specific aspect of a step of manufacturing the magnetic tape including a non-magnetic layer and a magnetic layer in this order on one surface of a non-magnetic support and including a back coating layer on the other surface thereof. In the aspect shown in FIG. 1, an operation of sending a non-magnetic support (elongated film) from a sending part and winding the non-magnetic support around a winding part is continuously performed, and various processes of coating, drying, and orientation are performed in each part or each zone shown in FIG. 1, and thus, it is possible to sequentially form a non-magnetic layer and a magnetic layer on one surface of the running non-magnetic support by multilayer coating and to form a back coating layer on the other surface thereof. The manufacturing step which is normally performed for manufacturing the coating type magnetic recording medium can be performed in the same manner except for including a cooling zone.

The non-magnetic layer forming composition is applied onto the non-magnetic support sent from the sending part in a first coating part (coating step of non-magnetic layer forming composition).

After the coating step, a coating layer of the non-magnetic layer forming composition formed in the coating step is cooled in a cooling zone (cooling step). For example, it is possible to perform the cooling step by allowing the non-magnetic support on which the coating layer is formed to pass through a cooling atmosphere. An atmosphere temperature of the cooling atmosphere is preferably −10° C. to 0° C. and more preferably −5° C. to 0° C. The time for performing the cooling step (for example, time while an arbitrary part of the coating layer is delivered to and sent from the cooling zone (hereinafter, also referred to as a “staying time”)) is not particularly limited, and in a case where the time described above is long, the C—H derived C concentration tends to be increased. Thus, the time described above is preferably adjusted by performing preliminary experiment if necessary, so that the C—H derived C concentration of 45 to 65 atom % is realized. In the cooling step, cooled air may blow to the surface of the coating layer.

After the cooling zone, in a first heating process zone, the coating layer is heated after the cooling step to dry the coating layer (heating and drying step). The heating and drying process can be performed by causing the non-magnetic support including the coating layer after the cooling step to pass through the heated atmosphere. An atmosphere temperature of the heated atmosphere here is, for example, approximately 60° to 140°. Here, the atmosphere temperature may be a temperature at which the solvent is volatilized and the coating layer is dried, and the atmosphere temperature is not limited to the atmosphere temperature in the range described above. In addition, the heated air may blow to the surface of the coating layer. The points described above are also applied to a heating and drying step of a second heating process zone and a heating and drying step of a third heating process zone which will be described later, in the same manner.

Next, in a second coating part, the magnetic layer forming composition is applied onto the non-magnetic layer formed by performing the heating and drying step in the first heating process zone (coating step of magnetic layer forming composition).

After that, in the aspect of performing the orientation process, while the coating layer of the magnetic layer forming composition is wet, an orientation process of the ferromagnetic powder in the coating layer is performed in an orientation zone. For the orientation process, various well-known technologies such as a description disclosed in a paragraph 0067 of JP2010-231843A can be used without any limitation. As described above, it is preferable to perform the homeotropic alignment process as the orientation process, from a viewpoint of controlling the XRD intensity ratio. Regarding the orientation process, the above description can also be referred to.

The coating layer after the orientation process is subjected to the heating and drying step in the second heating process zone.

Next, in the third coating part, a back coating layer forming composition is applied to a surface of the non-magnetic support on a side opposite to the surface where the non-magnetic layer and the magnetic layer are formed, to form a coating layer (coating step of back coating layer forming composition). After that, the coating layer is heated and dried in the third heating process zone.

By the step described above, it is possible to obtain the magnetic tape including the non-magnetic layer and the magnetic layer in this order on one surface of the non-magnetic support and including the back coating layer on the other surface thereof.

In order to manufacture the magnetic tape, well-known various processes for manufacturing the coating type magnetic recording medium can be performed. For example, for various processes, descriptions disclosed in paragraphs 0067 to 0069 of JP2010-231843A can be referred to.

As described above, it is possible to obtain a magnetic tape included in the magnetic tape device according to one aspect of the invention. However, the manufacturing method described above is merely an example, the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra, the XRD intensity ratio, the vertical direction squareness ratio, and the C—H derived C concentration can be controlled to be in respective ranges described above by an arbitrary method capable of adjusting the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra, the XRD intensity ratio, the vertical direction squareness ratio, and the C—H derived C concentration, and such an aspect is also included in the invention.

A servo pattern can also be formed in the magnetic tape described above by a well-known method, in order to perform head tracking servo in the magnetic tape device. The magnetic tape is generally accommodated in a magnetic tape cartridge and the magnetic tape cartridge is mounted in the magnetic tape device. In the magnetic tape cartridge, the magnetic tape is generally accommodated in a cartridge main body in a state of being wound around a reel. The reel is rotatably provided in the cartridge main body. As the magnetic tape cartridge, a single reel type magnetic tape cartridge including one reel in a cartridge main body and a twin reel type magnetic tape cartridge including two reels in a cartridge main body are widely used. In a case where the single reel type magnetic tape cartridge is mounted in the magnetic tape device (drive) in order to record and/or reproduce information (magnetic signals) to the magnetic tape, the magnetic tape is drawn from the magnetic tape cartridge and wound around the reel on the drive side. A magnetic head is disposed on a magnetic tape transportation path from the magnetic tape cartridge to a winding reel. Sending and winding of the magnetic tape are performed between a reel (supply reel) on the magnetic tape cartridge side and a reel (winding reel) on the drive side. In the meantime, the magnetic head comes into contact with and slides on the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape, and accordingly, the recording and/or reproduction of the magnetic signal is performed. With respect to this, in the twin reel type magnetic tape cartridge, both reels of the supply reel and the winding reel are provided in the magnetic tape cartridge. The magnetic tape according to one aspect of the invention may be accommodated in any of single reel type magnetic tape cartridge and twin reel type magnetic tape cartridge. The configuration of the magnetic tape cartridge is well known.

Reproducing Head

The magnetic tape device includes the TMR head as the reproducing head. The TMR head is a magnetic head including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element (TMR element). The TMR element can play a role of detecting a change in leakage magnetic field from the magnetic tape as a change in resistance value (electric resistance) by using a tunnel magnetoresistance effect, as a reproducing element for reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape (specifically, information recorded on the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape). By converting the detected change in resistance value into a change in voltage, the information recorded on the magnetic tape can be reproduced.

As the TMR head included in the magnetic tape device, a TMR head having a well-known configuration including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element (TMR element) can be used. For example, for details of the structure of the TMR head, materials of each unit configuring the TMR head, and the like, well-known technologies regarding the TMR head can be used.

The TMR head is a so-called thin film head. The TMR element included in the TMR head at least includes two electrode layers, a tunnel barrier layer, a free layer, and a fixed layer. The TMR head includes a TMR element in a state where cross sections of these layers face a side of a surface sliding on the magnetic tape. The tunnel barrier layer is positioned between the two electrode layers and the tunnel barrier layer is an insulating layer. Meanwhile, the free layer and the fixed layer are magnetic layers. The free layer is also referred to as a magnetization free layer and is a layer in which a magnetization direction changes depending on the external magnetic field. On the other hand, the fixed layer is a layer in which a magnetization direction does not change depending on the external magnetic field. The tunnel barrier layer (insulating layer) is positioned between the two electrodes, normally, and thus, even in a case where a voltage is applied, in general, a current does not flow or does not substantially flow. However, a current (tunnel current) flows by the tunnel effect depending on a magnetization direction of the free layer affected by a leakage magnetic field from the magnetic tape. The amount of a tunnel current flow changes depending on a relative angle of a magnetization direction of the fixed layer and a magnetization direction of the free layer, and as the relative angle decreases, the amount of the tunnel current flow increases. A change in amount of the tunnel current flow is detected as a change in resistance value by the tunnel magnetoresistance effect. By converting the change in resistance value into a change in voltage, the information recorded on the magnetic tape can be reproduced. For an example of the configuration of the TMR head, a description disclosed in FIG. 1 of JP2004-185676A can be referred to, for example. However, there is no limitation to the aspect shown in the drawing. FIG. 1 of JP2004-185676A shows two electrode layers and two shield layers. Here, a TMR head having a configuration in which the shield layer serves as an electrode layer is also well known and the TMR head having such a configuration can also be used. In the TMR head, a current (tunnel current) flows between the two electrodes and thereby changing electric resistance, by the tunnel magnetoresistance effect. The TMR head is a magnetic head having a CPP structure, and thus, a direction in which a current flows is a transportation direction of the magnetic tape. A decrease in resistance value of the TMR head means a decrease in electric resistance measured by bringing an electric resistance measuring device into contact with a wiring connecting two electrodes, and a decrease in electric resistance between two electrodes in a state where a current does not flow. A significant decrease in resistance value (electric resistance) tends to become significant at the time of reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape including the magnetic layer having the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm. However, such a significant decrease in resistance value causes a decrease in reproduction output over time with respect to an initial stage of the reproduction. This decrease in resistance value can be prevented by setting the C—H derived C concentration to be in the range described above, in the magnetic tape on which information to be reproduced is recorded and in which the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm.

In one preferred aspect, in the magnetic tape device, information recorded on the magnetic tape at linear recording density of 250 kfci can be reproduced by using the TMR head as the reproducing head. The unit, kfci, is a unit of linear recording density (not able to convert to the SI unit system). As the linear recording density increases, a magnetic signal (leakage magnetic field) obtained from the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape on which the information is recorded tends to become weak, and thus, in a case where any measures are not prepared, the SNR tends to decrease. As one reason thereof, it is thought that noise caused by the magnetic tape (so-called medium noise) significant affects the SNR, in a high linear recording density region. However, this decrease in SNR can be prevented by setting the magnetic layer surface roughness Ra, the XRD intensity ratio and the vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape in the magnetic tape device to be in respective ranges described above. In the magnetic tape device, it is possible to perform high-sensitivity reproducing of information recorded at high linear density, by using the TMR head as the reproducing head. The linear recording density can be, for example, equal to or smaller than 250 kfci and also equal to or greater than 300 kfci. The linear recording density can be, for example, equal to or smaller than 800 kfci and can also exceed 800 kfci.

The reproducing head is a magnetic head including at least the TMR element as a reproducing element for reproducing information recorded on the magnetic tape. Such a magnetic head may include or may not include an element for recording information in the magnetic tape. That is, the reproducing head and the recording head may be one magnetic head or separated magnetic heads. In addition, the magnetic head including the TMR element as a reproducing element may include a servo pattern reading element for performing head tracking servo.

As the magnetic tape transportation speed of the magnetic tape device is high, it is possible to shorten a reproducing time. Meanwhile, it is desired that the magnetic tape transportation speed is decreased, in order to prevent a deterioration in recording and reproducing characteristics. From a viewpoint of preventing a deterioration in recording and reproducing characteristics, the magnetic tape transportation speed is preferably equal to or lower than 18 m/sec, more preferably equal to or lower than 15 msec, and even more preferably equal to or lower than 10 m/sec. The magnetic tape transportation speed can be, for example, equal to or higher than 1 m/sec.

The magnetic tape transportation speed is also referred to as a running speed, and is a relative speed between the magnetic tape and the reproducing head in a case where the magnetic tape is transported (runs) in the magnetic tape device in order to reproduce information recorded on the magnetic tape. Normally, the magnetic tape transportation speed is set in a control unit of the magnetic tape device. As the magnetic tape transportation speed is low, the time for which the same portion of the TMR head comes into contact with the magnetic tape increases at the time of reproducing, and accordingly, damage on the TMR head more easily occurs and a decrease in resistance value easily occurs. In the magnetic tape device according to one aspect of the invention, such a decrease in resistance value can be prevented by using the magnetic tape.

Magnetic Reproducing Method

One aspect of the invention relates to a magnetic reproducing method including: reproducing information recorded on a magnetic tape by a reproducing head, in which the reproducing head is a magnetic head including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element as a reproducing element, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support, the ferromagnetic powder is ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, an intensity ratio (Int(110)/Int(114)) of a peak intensity Int(110) of a diffraction peak of a (110) plane with respect to a peak intensity Int(114) of a diffraction peak of a (114) plane of a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure obtained by an X-ray diffraction analysis of the magnetic layer by using an In-Plane method, that is, an XRD intensity ratio is 0.5 to 4.0, a vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.65 to 1.00, a center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, the magnetic layer includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide, and a C—H derived C concentration calculated from a C—H peak area ratio of C1s spectra obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis performed on the surface of the magnetic layer at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees is 45 to 65 atom %. The reproducing of the information recorded on the magnetic tape is performed by bringing the magnetic tape into contact with the reproducing head allowing sliding while transporting (causing running of) the magnetic tape. The details of the reproducing of the magnetic reproducing method and the details of the magnetic tape and the reproducing head used in the magnetic reproducing method are as the descriptions regarding the magnetic tape device according to one aspect of the invention.

According to one aspect of the invention, a magnetic tape used in a magnetic tape device in which a TMR head is used as a reproducing head, the magnetic tape including: a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on a non-magnetic support, in which the ferromagnetic powder is ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, an XRD intensity ratio is 0.5 to 4.0, a vertical direction squareness ratio is 0.65 to 1.00, a center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, the magnetic layer includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide, and a C—H derived C concentration calculated from a C—H peak area ratio of C1s spectra obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis performed on the surface of the magnetic layer at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees is 45 to 65 atom %, is also provided. The details of the magnetic tape are also as the descriptions regarding the magnetic tape device according to one aspect of the invention.

EXAMPLES

Hereinafter, the invention will be described with reference to examples. However, the invention is not limited to aspects shown in the examples. “Parts” and “%” in the following description mean “parts by mass” and “mass %”, unless otherwise noted. In addition, steps and evaluations described below are performed in an environment of an atmosphere temperature of 23° C.±1° C., unless otherwise noted.

Example 1

1. Manufacturing of Magnetic Tape

A list of components of each layer forming composition is shown below.

List of Components of Magnetic Layer Forming Composition

Magnetic Solution

Plate-shaped ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder (M-type barium ferrite): 100.0 parts

-   -   (Activation volume: 1,500 nm³)

Oleic acid: 2.0 parts

A vinyl chloride copolymer (MR-104 manufactured by Zeon Corporation): 10.0 parts

SO₃Na group-containing polyurethane resin: 4.0 parts

-   -   (Weight-average molecular weight: 70,000, SO₃Na group: 0.07         meq/g)

An amine-based polymer (DISPERBYK-102 manufactured by BYK Additives & Instruments): 6.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 150.0 parts

Cyclohexanone: 150.0 parts

Abrasive Liquid

α-alumina: 6.0 parts

-   -   (BET specific surface area: 19 m²/g, Mohs hardness: 9)

SO₃Na group-containing polyurethane resin: 0.6 parts

-   -   (Weight-average molecular weight: 70,000, SO₃Na group: 0.1         meq/g)

2,3-Dihydroxynaphthalene: 0.6 parts

Cyclohexanone: 23.0 parts

Projection Forming Agent Liquid

Colloidal silica: 2.0 parts

-   -   (Average particle size: see Table 5)

Methyl ethyl ketone: 8.0 parts

Lubricant and Curing Agent Liquid

Stearic acid: 3.0 parts

Stearic acid amide: 0.3 parts

Butyl stearate: 6.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 110.0 parts

Cyclohexanone: 110.0 parts

Polyisocyanate (CORONATE (registered trademark) L manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd.): 3.0 parts

List of Components of Non-Magnetic Layer Forming Composition

Non-magnetic inorganic powder: α-iron oxide: 100.0 parts

-   -   (Average particle size: 10 nm, BET specific surface area: 75         m²/g)

Carbon black: 25.0 parts

-   -   (Average particle size: 20 nm)

A SO₃Na group-containing polyurethane resin: 18.0 parts

-   -   (Weight-average molecular weight: 70,000, content of SO₃Na         group: 0.2 meq/g)

Stearic acid: 1.0 parts

Cyclohexanone: 300.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 300.0 parts

List of Components of Back Coating Layer Forming Composition

Non-magnetic inorganic powder: α-iron oxide: 80.0 parts

-   -   (Average particle size: 0.15 μm, BET specific surface area: 52         m²/g)

Carbon black: 20.0 parts

-   -   (Average particle size: 20 nm)

A vinyl chloride copolymer: 13.0 parts

A sulfonic acid group-containing polyester polyurethane resin: 6.0 parts

Phenylphosphonic acid: 3.0 parts

Cyclohexanone: 155.0 parts

Methyl ethyl ketone: 155.0 parts

Stearic acid: 3.0 parts

Butyl stearate: 3.0 parts

Polyisocyanate: 5.0 parts

Cyclohexanone: 200.0 parts

Preparation of Magnetic Layer Forming Composition

The magnetic layer forming composition was prepared by the following method.

A dispersion liquid A was prepared by dispersing (first stage) various components of the magnetic solution with a batch type vertical sand mill by using zirconia beads having a bead diameter of 0.5 mm (first dispersion beads, density of 6.0 g/cm³) for 24 hours, and then performing filtering with a filter having a hole diameter of 0.5 μm. The used amount of zirconia beads was 10 times of the amount of the ferromagnetic hexagonal barium ferrite powder based on mass.

After that, a dispersion liquid (dispersion liquid B) was prepared by dispersing (second stage) dispersion liquid A with a batch type vertical sand mill by using diamond beads having a bead diameter shown in Table 5 (second dispersion beads, density of 3.5 g/cm³) for 1 hour, and then separating diamond beads by using a centrifugal separator. The magnetic solution is the dispersion liquid B obtained as described above. The used amount of diamond beads was 10 times of the amount of the ferromagnetic hexagonal barium ferrite powder based on mass.

Regarding the abrasive liquid, various components of the abrasive liquid were mixed with each other and put in a transverse bead mill dispersing device together with zirconia beads having a bead diameter of 0.3 mm, so as to perform the adjustment so that a value of bead volume/(abrasive liquid volume+bead volume) was 80%, the bead mill dispersion process was performed for 120 minutes, the liquid after the process was extracted, and an ultrasonic dispersion filtering process was performed by using a flow type ultrasonic dispersion filtering device. By doing so, the abrasive liquid was prepared.

The magnetic layer forming composition was prepared by introducing the prepared magnetic solution, the abrasive liquid, the projection forming agent liquid, and the lubricant, and the curing agent liquid in a dissolver stirrer, stirring the mixture at a circumferential speed of 10 msec for 30 minutes, and performing a process of 3 passes at a flow rate of 7.5 kg/min with a flow type ultrasonic dispersing device, and filtering the mixture with a filter having a hole diameter of 1 μm.

Preparation of Non-Magnetic Layer Forming Composition

A non-magnetic layer forming composition was prepared by dispersing various components of the non-magnetic layer forming composition with a batch type vertical sand mill by using zirconia beads having a bead diameter of 0.1 mm for 24 hours, and then performing filtering with a filter having a hole diameter of 0.5 μm.

Preparation of Back Coating Layer Forming Composition

Components among various components of the back coating layer forming composition except a lubricant (stearic acid and butyl stearate), polyisocyanate, and 200.0 parts of cyclohexanone were kneaded and diluted by an open kneader, and subjected to a dispersion process of 12 passes, with a transverse beads mill dispersing device and zirconia beads having a bead diameter of 1 mm, by setting a bead filling percentage as 80 volume %, a circumferential speed of rotor distal end as 10 msec, and a retention time for 1 pass as 2 minutes. After that, the remaining components were added and stirred with a dissolver, the obtained dispersion liquid was filtered with a filter having a hole diameter of 1 μm and a back coating layer forming composition was prepared.

Manufacturing Method of Magnetic Tape

A magnetic tape was manufactured by the specific aspect shown in FIG. 1. The magnetic tape was specifically manufactured as follows.

A support made of polyethylene naphthalate having a thickness of 5.00 μm was sent from the sending part, and the non-magnetic layer forming composition was applied to one surface thereof so that the thickness after the drying becomes 1.00 μm in the first coating part, to form a coating layer. The cooling step was performed by passing the formed coating layer through the cooling zone in which the atmosphere temperature is adjusted to 0° C. for the staying time shown in Table 5 while the coating layer is wet, and then the heating and drying step was performed by passing the coating layer through the first heating process zone at the atmosphere temperature of 100° C., to form a non-magnetic layer.

Then, the magnetic layer forming composition prepared as described above was applied onto the non-magnetic layer so that the thickness after the drying becomes 70 nm (0.07 μm) in the second coating part, and a coating layer was formed. A homeotropic alignment process was performed in the orientation zone by applying a magnetic field having a magnetic field strength shown in Table 5 to the surface of the coating layer of the magnetic layer forming composition in a vertical direction while the coating layer is wet (not dried), and the coating layer was dried in the second heating process zone (atmosphere temperature of 100° C.).

After that, in the third coating part, the back coating layer forming composition prepared as described above was applied to the surface of the non-magnetic support made of polyethylene naphthalate on a side opposite to the surface where the non-magnetic layer and the magnetic layer are formed, so that the thickness after the drying becomes 0.5 μm, to form a coating layer, and the formed coating layer was dried in a third heating process zone (atmosphere temperature of 100° C.).

After that, a calender process (surface smoothing treatment) was performed with a calender roll configured of only a metal roll, at a speed of 80 m/min, linear pressure of 294 kN/m (300 kg/cm), and a calender temperature (surface temperature of a calender roll) shown in Table 5.

Then, a heating process was performed in the environment of the atmosphere temperature of 70° C. for 36 hours. After the heating process, the layer was slit to have a width of ½ inches (0.0127 meters), and a servo pattern was formed on the magnetic layer by a commercially available servo writer.

The thickness of each layer and the thickness of the non-magnetic support of the manufactured magnetic tape were acquired by the following method, and it was confirmed that the thicknesses obtained is the thicknesses described above.

A cross section of the magnetic tape in a thickness direction was exposed to ion beams and the exposed cross section was observed with a scanning electron microscope. Various thicknesses were obtained as an arithmetical mean of thicknesses obtained at two portions in the thickness direction in the cross section observation.

A part of the magnetic tape manufactured by the method described above was used in the evaluation of physical properties described below, and the other part was used in order to measure an SNR and a resistance value of the TMR head which will be described later.

The activation volume of the ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder described above is a value calculated by performing measurement by using a powder lot which is the same as that of ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder used in the magnetic layer forming composition. The magnetic field sweep rates in the coercivity Hc measurement part at timing points of 3 minutes and 30 minutes were measured by using an oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter (manufactured by Toei Industry Co., Ltd.), and the activation volume was calculated from the relational expression described above. The measurement was performed in the environment of 23° C.±1° C.

2. Evaluation of Physical Properties of Magnetic Tape

(1) Center Line Average Surface Roughness Ra Measured Regarding Surface of Magnetic Layer

The measurement regarding a measurement area of 40 μm×40 μm in the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape was performed with an atomic force microscope (AFM, Nanoscope 4 manufactured by Veeco Instruments, Inc.) in a tapping mode, and a center line average surface roughness Ra was acquired. RTESP-300 manufactured by BRUKER is used as a probe, a scan speed (probe movement speed) was set as 40 μm/sec, and a resolution was set as 512 pixel×512 pixel.

(2) XRD Intensity Ratio

A tape sample was cut out from the manufactured magnetic tape.

Regarding the cut-out tape sample, the surface of the magnetic layer was irradiated with X-ray by using a thin film X-ray diffraction device (Smart Lab manufactured by Rigaku Corporation), and the In-Plane XRD was performed by the method described above.

The peak intensity Int(114) of the diffraction peak of the (114) plane and the peak intensity Int(110) of the diffraction peak of a (110) plane of a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure were obtained from the X-ray diffraction spectra obtained by the In-Plane XRD, and the XRD intensity ratio (Int(110)/Int(114)) was calculated.

(3) Vertical Direction Squareness Ratio

A vertical direction squareness ratio of the manufactured magnetic tape was obtained by the method described above using an oscillation sample type magnetic-flux meter (manufactured by Toei Industry Co., Ltd.).

(4) C—H Derived C Concentration

The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis was performed regarding the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape (measurement region: 300 μm×700 μm) by the following method using an ESCA device, and a C—H derived C concentration was calculated from the analysis result.

Analysis and Calculation Method

All of the measurement (i) to (iii) described below were performed under the measurement conditions shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 AXIS-ULTRA manufactured by Device Shimadzu Corporation Excitation X-ray source Monochromatic Al—Kα ray (output: 15 kV, 20 mA) Analyzer mode Spectrum Lens mode Hybrid (analysis area: 300 μm × 700 μm) Neutralization electron gun for charge ON (used) correction (Charge neutraliser) Light electron extraction angle (take-off 10 deg. (angle formed by a angle) detector and a sample surface)

(i) Wide Scan Measurement

A wide scan measurement (measurement conditions: see Table 2) was performed regarding the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape with the ESCA device, and the types of the detected elements were researched (qualitative analysis).

TABLE 2 Number of Capturing integration Energy resolution Time times Scan range Pass Energy (Step) (Dwell) (Sweeps) 0 to 1200 eV 160 eV 1 eV/step 100 ms/step 5

(ii) Narrow Scan Measurement

All elements detected in (i) described above were subjected to narrow scan measurement (measurement conditions: see Table 3). An atom concentration (unit: atom %) of each element detected was calculated from a peak surface area of each element by using software for a data process attached to the device (Vision 2.2.6). Here, the C concentration was also calculated.

TABLE 3 Number of Energy Capturing integration resolution Time times Spectra^(Note1)) Scan range Pass energy (Step) (Dwell) (Sweeps)^(Note2)) C1s 276 to 296 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 3 Cl2p 190 to 212 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 5 N1s 390 to 410 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 5 O1s 521 to 541 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 3 Fe2p 700 to 740 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 3 Ba3d 765 to 815 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 3 Al2p  64 to 84 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 5 Y3d 148 to 168 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 3 P2p 120 to 140 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 5 Zr3d 171 to 191 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 5 Bi4f 151 to 171 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 3 Sn3d 477 to 502 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 5 Si2p  90 to 110 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 5 S2p 153 to 173 eV 80 eV 0.1 eV/step 100 ms/step 5 ^(Note1))Spectra shown in Table 3 (element type) are examples, and in a case where an element not shown in Table 3 is detected by the qualitative analysis of the section (1), the same narrow scan measurement is performed in a scan range including entirety of spectra of the elements detected. ^(Note2))The spectra having excellent signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ratio) were measured in a case where the number of integration times is set as three times. However, even in a case where the number of integration times regarding the entirety of spectra is set as five times, the quantitative results are not affected.

(iii) Acquiring of C1s Spectra

The C1s spectra were acquired under the measurement conditions disclosed in Table 4. Regarding the acquired C1s spectra, after correcting a shift (physical shift) due to a sample charge by using software for a data process attached to the device (Vision 2.2.6), a fitting process (peak resolution) of the C1s spectra was performed by using the software described above. In the peak resolution, the fitting of C1s spectra was performed by a nonlinear least-squares method using a Gauss-Lorentz complex function (Gaussian component: 70%, Lorentz component: 30%), and a percentage (peak area ratio) of the C—H peak occupying the C1s spectra was calculated. A C—H derived C concentration was calculated by multiplying the calculated C—H peak area ratio by the C concentration acquired in (ii) described above.

TABLE 4 Capturing Number of Energy resolution Time integration times Spectra Scan range Pass Energy (Step) (Dwell) (Sweeps) C1s 276 to 296 eV 10 eV 0.1 eV/step 200 ms/step 20

An arithmetical mean of values obtained by performing the above-mentioned process at different positions of the surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape three times is set as the C—H derived C concentration.

3. Measurement of SNR

In an environment of an atmosphere temperature of 23° C.±1° C. and relative humidity of 50%, the magnetic tape manufactured in the part 1. was attached to a reel tester having a width of ½ inches (0.0127 meters) fixed to a recording head and a reproducing head, and information was recorded and reproduced by setting a relative speed of the recording head or the reproducing head and the magnetic tape at the time of the recording and reproducing as 4 m/sec. As the recording head, a metal-in-gap (MIG) head (gap length of 0.15 μm, track width of 1.0 μm) was used, and the reproducing head, a TMR head (element width of 70 nm) commercially available as a reproducing head for HDD was used. The recording was performed at linear recording density of 300 kfci, the reproduction output at the time of reproducing was measured, and the SNR was obtained as a ratio of the reproduction output and noise. The SNR was calculated as a relative value by setting the SNR measured as 0 dB in Comparative Example 1 which will be described later. In a case where the SNR calculated as described above is equal to or greater than 7.0 dB, it is possible to evaluate that a function of dealing with future needs accompanied with high-density recording is obtained.

4. Measurement of Resistance Value of Reproducing Head

In an environment of an atmosphere temperature of 23° C.±1° C. and relative humidity of 50%, the magnetic tape manufactured in the part 1. was attached to a reel tester having a width of ½ inches (0.0127 meters) fixed to a recording head and a reproducing head, and information was recorded and reproduced. As the recording head, a MIG head (gap length of 0.15 μm, track width of 1.0 μm) was used, and the TMR head (element width of 70 nm) commercially available as a reproducing head for HDD was used as the reproducing head. A tape length of the magnetic tape was 1,000 m, and a total of 4,000 passes of the transportation (running) of the magnetic tape was performed by setting the relative speed of the magnetic tape and the magnetic head (magnetic tape transportation speed) at the time of performing reproducing as 4 m/sec. The reproducing head was moved in a width direction of the magnetic tape by 2.5 μm for 1 pass, a resistance value (electric resistance) of the reproducing head for transportation of 400 passes was measured, and a rate of a decrease in resistance value with respect to an initial value (resistance value at 0 pass) was obtained by the following equation. Rate of decrease in resistance value (%)=[(initial value−resistance value after transportation of 400passes)/initial value]×100

The measurement of the resistance value (electric resistance) was performed by bringing an electric resistance measuring device (digital multi-meter (product number: DA-50C) manufactured by Sanwa Electric Instrument Co., Ltd.) into contact with a wiring connecting two electrodes of a TMR element included in a TMR head. In a case where the calculated rate of a decrease in resistance value was equal to or greater than 30%, it was determined that a decrease in resistance value occurred. Then, a reproducing head was replaced with a new head, and transportation after 400 passes was performed and a resistance value was measured. The number of times of occurrence of a decrease in resistance value which is 1 or greater indicates a significant decrease in resistance value. In the running of 4,000 passes, in a case where the rate of a decrease in resistance value did not become equal to or greater than 30%, the number of times of occurrence of a decrease in resistance value was set as 0. In a case where the number of times of occurrence of a decrease in resistance value is 0, the maximum value of the measured rate of a decrease in resistance value is shown in Table 5.

Examples 2 to 8 and Comparative Examples 1 to 15

1. Manufacturing of Magnetic Tape

A magnetic tape was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that various conditions shown in Table 5 were changed as shown in Table 5.

In Table 5, in the comparative examples in which “none” is shown in a column of the dispersion beads and a column of the time, the magnetic layer forming composition was prepared without performing the second stage in the magnetic solution dispersion process.

In Table 5, in the comparative examples in which “none” is shown in a column of the homeotropic alignment process magnetic field intensity, the magnetic layer was formed without performing the orientation process.

In Table 5, in the comparative examples in which “not performed” is disclosed in a column of the cooling zone staying time, a magnetic tape was manufactured by a manufacturing step not including the cooling zone.

2. Evaluation of Physical Properties of Magnetic Tape

Various physical properties of the manufactured magnetic tape were evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.

3. Measurement of SNR

The SNR was measured by the same method as that in Example 1, by using the manufactured magnetic tape. In Examples 2 to 8 and Comparative Examples 5 to 15, the TMR head which was the same as that in Example 1 was used as a reproducing head. In Comparative Examples 1 to 4, a commercially available spin valve type GMR head (element width of 70 nm) was used as a reproducing head.

4. Measurement of Resistance Value of Reproducing Head

A resistance value of the reproducing head was measured by the same method as that in Example 1, by using the manufactured magnetic tape. As the reproducing head, the same reproducing head (TMR head or GMR head) as the reproducing head used in the measurement of the SNR was used. In Comparative Examples 1 to 4, the GMR head used as the reproducing head was a magnetic head having a CIP structure including two electrodes with an MR element interposed therebetween in a direction orthogonal to the transportation direction of the magnetic tape. A resistance value was measured in the same manner as in Example 1, by bringing an electric resistance measuring device into contact with a wiring connecting these two electrodes.

The results of the evaluations described above are shown in Table 5.

TABLE 5 Magnetic solution dispersion process second stage Dispersion beads Used amount (mass of beads with respect to Homeotropic mass of ferromagnetic alignment Colloidal silica Bead hexagonal ferrite process magnetic average particle Calender Cooling zone Kind diameter powder) Time field intensity size temperature staying time Comparative Example 1 None None None None None 120 nm  80° C. Not performed Comparative Example 2 None None None None None 120 nm  90° C. Not performed Comparative Example 3 None None None None None 80 nm 90° C. Not performed Comparative Example 4 None None None None None 40 nm 110° C.  Not performed Comparative Example 5 None None None None None 120 nm  80° C. Not performed Comparative Example 6 None None None None None 120 nm  90° C. Not performed Comparative Example 7 None None None None None 80 nm 90° C. Not performed Comparative Example 8 None None None None None 40 nm 110° C.  Not performed Comparative Example 9 Diamond 500 nm 10 times 1 h 0.15 T 80 nm 90° C. Not performed Comparative Example 10 Diamond 500 nm 10 times 1 h 0.15 T 80 nm 90° C. 180 seconds Comparative Example 11 None None None None None 80 nm 90° C.  1 second Comparative Example 12 None None None None 0.15 T 80 nm 90° C.  1 second Comparative Example 13 None None None None 0.30 T 80 nm 90° C.  1 second Comparative Example 14 Diamond 500 nm 10 times 1 h 1.00 T 80 nm 90° C.  1 second Comparative Example 15 Diamond 500 nm 10 times 1 h None 80 nm 90° C.  1 second Example 1 Diamond 500 nm 10 times 1 h 0.15 T 80 nm 90° C.  1 second Example 2 Diamond 500 nm 10 times 1 h 0.20 T 80 nm 90° C.  1 second Example 3 Diamond 500 nm 10 times 1 h 0.30 T 80 nm 90° C.  1 second Example 4 Diamond 500 nm 10 times 1 h 0.50 T 80 nm 90° C.  1 second Example 5 Diamond 500 nm 20 times 1 h 0.15 T 80 nm 90° C.  1 second Example 6 Diamond 500 nm 10 times 1 h 0.30 T 80 nm 90° C.  5 seconds Example 7 Diamond 500 nm 20 times 1 h 0.30 T 80 nm 90° C.  50 seconds Example 8 Diamond 500 nm 20 times 1 h 0.30 T 40 nm 110° C.   50 seconds Number of times of Rate of Magnetic layer Vertical occurrence decrease center line average direction of decrease in in surface roughness C—H derived C XRD intensity ratio squareness Reproducing SNR resistance resistance Ra concentration Int(110)/Int(114) ratio head (dB) value (times) value (%) Comparative Example 1 2.8 nm 35 atom % 0.2 0.55 GMR 0 0 0 Comparative Example 2 2.5 nm 35 atom % 0.2 0.55 GMR 2.2 0 0 Comparative Example 3 2.0 nm 35 atom % 0.2 0.55 GMR 4.5 0 0 Comparative Example 4 1.5 nm 35 atom % 0.2 0.55 GMR 6.8 0 0 Comparative Example 5 2.8 nm 35 atom % 0.2 0.55 TMR 0.7 1 — Comparative Example 6 2.5 nm 35 atom % 0.2 0.55 TMR 3.2 3 — Comparative Example 7 2.0 nm 35 atom % 0.2 0.55 TMR 5.5 7 — Comparative Example 8 1.5 nm 35 atom % 0.2 0.55 TMR 7.7 9 — Comparative Example 9 2.0 nm 35 atom % 0.5 0.70 TMR 7.0 7 — Comparative Example 10 2.0 nm 70 atom % 0.5 0.70 TMR 7.0 1 — Comparative Example 11 2.0 nm 45 atom % 0.2 0.55 TMR 5.5 0 5 Comparative Example 12 2.0 nm 45 atom % 3.8 0.63 TMR 5.9 0 5 Comparative Example 13 2.0 nm 45 atom % 5.0 0.75 TMR 5.8 0 5 Comparative Example 14 2.0 nm 45 atom % 6.1 0.90 TMR 5.8 0 5 Comparative Example 15 2.0 nm 45 atom % 0.3 0.66 TMR 5.6 0 5 Example 1 2.0 nm 45 atom % 0.5 0.70 TMR 7.0 0 5 Example 2 2.0 nm 45 atom % 1.5 0.75 TMR 7.2 0 5 Example 3 2.0 nm 45 atom % 2.3 0.80 TMR 7.5 0 5 Example 4 2.0 nm 45 atom % 4.0 0.85 TMR 7.3 0 5 Example 5 2.0 nm 45 atom % 0.7 0.83 TMR 7.2 0 5 Example 6 2.0 nm 55 atom % 2.3 0.80 TMR 7.5 0 4 Example 7 2.0 nm 65 atom % 2.3 0.80 TMR 7.5 0 2 Example 8 1.5 nm 65 atom % 2.3 0.80 TMR 9.3 0 11 

As shown in Table 5, in Examples 1 to 8, the information recorded on the magnetic tape at high linear recording density could be reproduced at a high SNR by using the TMR head as the reproducing head. In addition, in Examples 1 to 8, it was possible to prevent a significant decrease in resistance value of the TMR head.

The invention is effective for usage of magnetic recording for which high-sensitivity reproducing of information recorded with high density is desired. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A magnetic tape device comprising: a magnetic tape; and a reproducing head, wherein the reproducing head is a magnetic head including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element as a reproducing element, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support, the ferromagnetic powder is ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, an intensity ratio Int(110)/Int(114) of a peak intensity Int(110) of a diffraction peak of a (110) plane with respect to a peak intensity Int(114) of a diffraction peak of a (114) plane of a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure obtained by an X-ray diffraction analysis of the magnetic layer by using an In-Plane method is 0.5 to 4.0, a vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.65 to 1.00, a center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, the magnetic layer includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide, and a C—H derived C concentration calculated from a C—H peak area ratio of C1s spectra obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis performed on the surface of the magnetic layer at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees is 45 to 65 atom %.
 2. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer is 1.2 nm to 2.0 nm.
 3. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.65 to 0.90.
 4. The magnetic tape device according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic layer including non-magnetic powder and a binding agent between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer.
 5. A magnetic reproducing method comprising: reproducing information recorded on a magnetic tape by a reproducing head, wherein the reproducing head is a magnetic head including a tunnel magnetoresistance effect type element as a reproducing element, the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support, the ferromagnetic powder is ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder, an intensity ratio Int(110)/Int(114) of a peak intensity Int(110) of a diffraction peak of a (110) plane with respect to a peak intensity Int(114) of a diffraction peak of a (114) plane of a hexagonal ferrite crystal structure obtained by an X-ray diffraction analysis of the magnetic layer by using an In-Plane method is 0.5 to 4.0, a vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.65 to 1.00, a center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer is equal to or smaller than 2.0 nm, the magnetic layer includes one or more components selected from the group consisting of fatty acid and fatty acid amide, and a C—H derived C concentration calculated from a C—H peak area ratio of C1s spectra obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis performed on the surface of the magnetic layer at a photoelectron take-off angle of 10 degrees is 45 to 65 atom %.
 6. The magnetic reproducing method according to claim 5, wherein the center line average surface roughness Ra measured regarding the surface of the magnetic layer is 1.2 nm to 2.0 nm.
 7. The magnetic reproducing method according to claim 5, wherein the vertical direction squareness ratio of the magnetic tape is 0.65 to 0.90.
 8. The magnetic reproducing method according to claim 5, wherein the magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic layer including non-magnetic powder and a binding agent between the non-magnetic support and the magnetic layer. 